Who remembers the Pinhead Interview?

[VetScratch]

Some friends and I were discussing the way national TV covers the classics. One topic was political correctness: how the interviews suggest that trainers and jockeys must belong to fraternities of mutual respect and admiration.

This soon had us trying to recall the details about the infamous Pinhead Interview on natiional TV prior to one of the classics.

Everyone agrees on the basic story, but we can't agree on the details. Here are the basics.

In the paddock area before the race, all the famous jockeys were standing in a tight group before Riders Up. Noticing this, the TV interviewer asked a hall of fame trainer if he had ever seen so many great athletes gathered in one spot. The trainer looked around and seemed puzzled. When the interviewer pointed to the jockeys, the trainer said, "Oh, you mean the pinheads."

I think it was Woody Stephens at one of the Kentucky Derbies.
Others disagree.

Does anyone know the exact details, and maybe a more exact
version of the interview?

[Dick Schmidt]

Vet,

Could have been Charlie Wittingham. I had lunch with him a couple of times, and he always referred to jockeys as "size-three hats."

Dick

[VetScratch]

Dick,

If you are right, and I will assume so unless there is dispute, I will be the chump for lunch. Charlie Wittimgham is who my friend remembers, and he was a verbal hip-shooter. I leaned towards Woody on the notion that a little sauce might provoke candor on national TV.

Any info on what race and when?

[VetScratch]

To go along with your "size-three hats" from Wittingham, I remember hearing that Bernie Flint once said jockeys would be "wards of the state if they didn't have agents."

[PaceAdvantage]

I can't see Woody Stephens saying something like that....

[VetScratch]

Around or about 1990, I enjoyed listening to Woody as the honored guest at a Breeders' dinner and ceremoney where he used a lot of colloquial humor in his speech to breeders and trainers.

Pinhead was only a surprise because it was on TV. Off-camera, it is a very common backside slang substitute for jockey. Most of the time it is used and interpreted with good humor unless the context in which it is used stamps it as an nasty insult. But like many sports insider or lockeroom expressions, it is not politically correct to use it when what you say is "on the record" for public misinterpration.

If you knew, Woody, you should know he liked to "celebrate." In addition, with his stature as one of the all-time greats, I thought it was the sort of dry humor he might utter without fear of being tarred and feathered by the real pinheads (i.e., the press corps).

I hope someone will post the complete details about the Pinhead Interview. Right now, I am deferring to Dick's "Wittingham reply" and will probably have to buy lunch for being wrong.

[LutherCalvin]

Wasn't Randy Romero called a pinhead by some trainer after he was dissatisfied with his ride?

[Dave Schwartz]

Man, this is why I love this board. I never knew any of this stuff.

Great thread. Thanks, all.

Dave Schwartz

[PaceAdvantage]

Did Beyer call them pinheads?

[ceejay]

Originally posted by PaceAdvantage
Did Beyer call them pinheads?

I think in one of his books he did.

[Show Me the Wire]

If jockeys are pinheads, and owners are suckers, what are trainers?

Graduates of sh*t Shoveling U and intellectually on the same level as a box of rocks. I love em anyway.

Regards,
Show Me the Wire

Perception is reality